Friday, February 01, 2008

Save Sayed Kambakhsh

Sentenced to death for reading about women's rights
A young man, a student of journalism, is sentenced to death by an Islamic court for downloading a report from the internet. The sentence is then upheld by the country's rulers. This is Afghanistan – not in Taliban times but six years after "liberation" and under the democratic rule of the West's ally Hamid Karzai.

The fate of Sayed Pervez Kambaksh has led to domestic and international protests, and deepening concern about erosion of civil liberties in Afghanistan. He was accused of blasphemy after he downloaded a report from a Farsi website which stated that Muslim fundamentalists who claimed the Koran justified the oppression of women had misrepresented the views of the prophet Mohamed.
That is terrible. We need to support Sayed Kambaksh - it is unthinkable that he should be executed merely for reading something. Please sign the Independent petition for his release.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

There's clear evidence in the Old Testament that blasphemy is punishable by death, LEVITICUS 24:16 STATES THAT THOSE WHO SPEAK BLASPHEMY "SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH".

However, there is no clear evidence in the Koran that blasphemy is punishable by death and never was the punishment of death inflicted upon those who committed blasphemy during Prophet Muhammad's rule, although many people did commit blasphemy during his life to try to insult Islam and him.

The following Qur'anic verses appear to suggest that there is no worldly punishment for blasphemy, controverting the notion that blasphemy is punishable by death:

“ When ye hear the signs of Allah held in defiance and ridicule, ye are not to sit with them unless they turn to a different theme. [Qur'an 4:140] ”
“ And when they hear vain talk, they turn away therefrom and say: "to us our deeds and to you yours; peace be to you. [Qur'an 28: 55] ”
“ Hold to forgiveness, command what is right; but turn away from the ignorant. [Qur'an 7:199] ”
“ Have patience with what they say, and leaves them with noble (dignity). [Qur'an 73:10] ”
“ And the servants of Allah . . . are those who walked on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say 'Peace' [Qur'an 25:63] ”
“ Allah is with those who restrain themselves. [Qur'an 16: 128] ”
“ . . . But they uttered blasphemy . . . if they repent, it will be best for them, but if they turn back, Allah will punish them." [Qur'an 9:47]

Joe said...

"look, I'd had a lovely supper and all I said to my wife was that bit of halibut was good enough for Jehovah..."

"He said it again! Blasphemer!!!"

Isn't it nice to know British troops are fighting and dying for a bunch of medieval moronic misfits? Nothing like bringing freedom to a people, and this is indeed nothing like it...

Yewtree said...

No-one is to throw any more stones until I blow this whistle... even if someone does say "Jehovah". [crowd throws barrage of rocks]